Stress relieving security bag

ABSTRACT

A security bag having a side opening. The opening includes a leading edge with a tamper indicating adhesive strip. The bag further includes a flap portion which extends into the opening under the adhesive strip and leading edge. The bag is closed by adhering the adhesive strip to the flap. This provides a better seal which is less prone to inadvertent tamper indication.

BACKGROUND

[0001] Tamper indicating bags or security bags are used to transfervaluable or sensitive materials. These bags which can be formed fromplastic and have some feature which provides an indication that the baghas been opened in transit. Thus from the point of sealing to the pointof delivery, no one should be able to access the contents of the bagwithout being discovered. Once delivered to its intended destination,the recipient ascertains if the bag was opened. It is important that therecipient be able to detect if the bag was opened. It is also importantthat an unopened bag not show a false indication that it has been openedor tampered.

[0002] There are many different tamper indicating bags such as thosedisclosed in Geyer, U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,716, Wheeling, U.S. Pat. No.4,483,018, Sack et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,196, Sack, U.S. Pat. No.4,510,621, Wilson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,940, Boto U.S. Pat. No.4,988,547, Edelman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,196, Mackrauer, U.S. Pat. No.5,620,256 and Diplock, U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,043.

[0003] The invention disclosed in the Diplock patent addresses the issueof improper sealing of the bag and directing force away from the sealarea to prevent an inadvertent tamper indication. More specifically,this patent discloses incorporation of a separate inner flap between thefront and rear walls of the bag. The flap underlies the seal area. Thusif a seal is formed with the bag partially open, the adhesive willattach to this inner flap as opposed to the back wall of the bag. Also,as pressure is exerted against the bag, it will force the flap againstthe seal area as opposed to forcing the seal area opened.

[0004] This design effectively addresses these issues. However, therequirement of an extra internal flap increases the cost of the bag andincreases its complexity and the cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to providea simple tamper indicating security bag which directs internal forcesaway from the seal area and reduces the problem of imperfectly formedseals.

[0006] More particularly the present invention is a tamper indicatingbag which is formed from preferably a single sheet of plastic whereinthe top edge of the bag is a first fold. The front bag wall extends awayfrom the fold and forms a flap. The bottom of the bag is a second foldwhich forms the lower portion of the front of the bag. The opening intothe bag is at the leading edge of that lower portion. The flap from thetop extends underneath the leading edge of forming the opening and sealarea. This leading edge includes an adhesive strip which is adapted toadhere to the extended flap to form a tamper indicating seal. Since theflap extends below this edge into the interior of portion of the bag,the forces inside the bag are directed primarily to the top and bottomof the bag and not to the seal area. Since the seal is formed by an edgebeing adhesively bonded to the flap portion, precise alignment is notcritical. Thus, there is no possibility of the adhesive bonding to theback wall of the bag.

[0007] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will beappreciated in light of the following detailed descriptions and drawingsin which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.

[0009]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken at lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

[0010]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view partially broken away showing thebag prior to sealing.

[0011]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view as in FIG. 2 showing the bag assealed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the present invention is asecurity bag 10 which includes a front panel 12, a back panel 14 and anopening 16. This particular bag is formed from a single sheet of plasticand includes a lower fold 18 and an upper fold 20. These folds could bereplaced with heat seals if desired. The front panel 12 extends up fromthe lower fold 18 and terminates at a closure structure 24. Extendingfrom upper fold 20 is a flap portion 22 which extends into an insideportion 23 of the bag under closure structure 24 of front panel 12. Thesides 11 and 13 of bag 10 are simply heat sealed edges.

[0013] As shown, closure structure 24 includes an optional tear-awaystrip 26 attached to panel 12 at a perforation 28. Adhered to frontpanel 12 just below perforation 28 is an adhesive strip 30. The adhesivestrip 30 is preferably a separate strip which includes some type oftamper indication. These are generally referred to as void tapes ortamper tapes because when the adhesive strip is pulled away from asurface, it will give some visual indication that the seal has beenbroken such as showing the word “void”. These tamper tapes as shown inFIG. 1 include a silicone coated removable liner 32 which prevents theadhesive from bonding to any surface until desired.

[0014] To use the bag of the present invention, the tear-away strip 26is removed. This can be used as a receipt. The contents are then placedinside the bag 10 and the liner 32 is removed. The adhesive strip 30 ispressed against the flap 22 adhering front panel 12 to the flap 22 andsealing the bag closed.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 4, when the contents of the bag move forwardtowards the sealed portion of the bag, the force (represented by arrow34) is directed to upper fold 20 as opposed to the seal area. Thus, theforces are directed away from the adhesive and towards a physical foldin the bag. This will reduce the likelihood of any false indication thatsomeone has tampered with the bag. Also since the flap extendssubstantially below edge 24, there is no possibility that the adhesivewill bond to the back panel 14 as opposed to the flap 22. Thus, a goodseal is virtually guaranteed.

[0016] Although the present invention shows a separate adhesive stripfor use in the present invention, the adhesive can also be applieddirectly to the inside of front panel 12 at the edge surface if desired.However, this is more difficult to manufacture and accordingly lesspreferred.

[0017] Bag 10 can be formed and printed using standard bag formingapparatus. Preferably the bag of the present invention is formed from athermoplastic material such as polyethylene or the like.

[0018] Preferably, the upper fold is formed followed by the lower fold.The tamper tape is applied at edge 28. A heat seal/cut is formed at theedges to form the final bag. This forming process is significantlysimpler and less expensive than the method used to form the structuredisclosed in the Diplock bag, yet the bag of the present inventionprovides the same benefits.

[0019] This has been a description of the present invention and thepreferred mode of practicing the invention, however, the inventionitself should only be defined by the appended claims wherein we claim:

1. A security bag having a front panel and a rear panel, said frontpanel having a leading edge; a flap member extending from a top edge ofsaid bag said flap extending into an inside portion of said bag beneathsaid leading edge of said front panel; an adhesive portion on said frontpanel proximate said leading edge of said front panel adapted to contactsaid flap sealing said bag closed.
 2. The bag claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid adhesive coats a tamper indicating adhesive strip which is adheredto said front panel and extends beyond said leading edge toward saidupper edge of said bag.
 3. The bag claimed in claim 2 further includinga plastic receipt strip attached at a perforation line to said leadingedge.